Ampersand Care closes two more homes

Posted on May 2nd, by geoff in Caring Times. Comments Off on Ampersand Care closes two more homes

Ampersand Care is to close two of its care homes in in Manchester May, saying the fees it receives from the local authority, Trafford Council, do not meet operating costs.

The company closed its 62-bed Swinton Hall nursing home in Salford earlier this year after it was rated ‘Inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission. Ampersand Care now operates a single care home, the 31-bed Pinewood Manor in Crowborough, East Sussex.

Ampersand also attributes the latest closures, of 41-bed Shawe Lodge nursing home in Urmston and the 33-bed Shawe House care home in Flixton, to a lack of support or willingness to work in partnership from the national care regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Operations director Umi Barwell said she hoped the latest closures would act as a wakeup call to Trafford Council.

“Otherwise other care providers may face the same situation,” said Ms Barwell.

“We are heartbroken that we have had to take this incredibly difficult decision. Our priority is always to provide the best care for residents, and we are working closely with every family to find alternative places that are right for each resident. The distressing fact is that we are simply not able to provide the levels of care they rightly expect under the current funding arrangement.

“We recognise that local authorities are under huge budget pressures, but social care is vitally important for our aging population.

“At the same time, the care regulator, which is supposed to support providers to deliver the best care for residents, has been exceptionally unhelpful in relation to both of these homes, appearing unwilling to work with us in the partnership approach you would expect from such an important body.

“We cannot cut corners in care provision. It’s not fair on residents, on their families, or on the dedicated people who work in the care profession.”